Bus overturns in southern Malaysia, sparks praise for bystanders who help passengers escape

A Singapore-bound bus overturned along the southbound North-South Expressway in Johor, Malaysia, on 1 September, with footage of the aftermath drawing widespread attention online.

The incident reportedly occurred at KM120.9 of the expressway, along the Pagoh–Yong Peng stretch.

The bus overturned into a drain beside the highway, leaving its main door inaccessible. Those inside were seen escaping through an emergency exit and the driver's door.

Footage circulating on social media showed several people helping those inside the overturned bus get out safely.

One man attracted particular attention after allowing others to step on him to reach the ground, effectively becoming a “human ladder”.

Rescue efforts praised online

The footage was reshared across social media, with a Threads post published on 3 September receiving about 28,300 likes and 3,700 reposts as of 4 September.

Many commenters praised the rescue efforts, particularly the man who used his body to help others down from the bus.

Others also commended those who assisted with the evacuation.

Some commenters described the scene as an example of Malaysians coming together to help one another regardless of race.

“This is the Malaysia that we all love, this is what we all want. One heart, one soul, helping one another. We share the burden together, whether the burden is light or heavy. Please don't divide us.”

The man who became the “human ladder” also received particular praise, with commenters thanking him for helping others despite the difficult circumstances.

“Thank you so much to the brother who became the human ladder, and to the other brothers and uncles as well. May God repay all of you for your kindness.”

Commenters express concern for helper

Alongside the praise, some commenters expressed concern about whether the man could have been injured while helping others escape.

One person called for someone to check on him after he used his body to assist those climbing down from the bus.

Commenter identifies the man

One commenter claimed to personally know the man who acted as the human ladder, whom they described as a friend in Malaysia's tourist guide industry.

“Hi everyone! I just want to share that the Chinese brother is actually a friend in Malaysia's tourist guide industry. His name is Zonda Yong! He is really a good person, and I personally know him. This is a photo of us from two years ago, when we happened to meet while each of us was bringing tourists from China around Putrajaya. Just sharing so you know who he actually is.”

Some question whether the “human ladder” was necessary

Not all of the discussion focused solely on praise. One commenter asked whether passengers could have safely climbed down from the emergency exit without using the man's body, noting that the footage might not fully show the height or conditions they faced.

“Just asking… because what we see in the video might not be the same as what we imagine. If they came out through the door, slid down and just jumped to the ground, was the height still too high and dangerous, which is why they needed to step on the brother's body as a ladder?”

Another commenter suggested that passengers could already have been hurt from the impact, making jumping from the overturned bus potentially more painful or dangerous.

“With the bus lying on its side like that, the victims must have been in pain from the impact, so if they jumped, there was also a possibility they could have been hurt.”

The footage has since continued to circulate online, with much of the discussion centred on the willingness of those at the scene to help people escape the overturned bus.